The Only Solution

Sermon II in Atonement Series

by Jonathan Duttweiler

"And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission." Hebrews 9:22

Introduction

In the last sermon we saw that there are grave problems confronting God in forgiving sin, He:

1. Has to find a way to uphold law while forgiving lawbreaker;

2. Has to show His grief over, and hatred for, sin while forgiving the sinner;

3. Has to break humanity's pride and make us see our guilt;

4. Has to find a way to transform our whole being, our manner of living, without violating our free will!

God's solution - perhaps the ONLY solution - was to provide an atonement!

"Atonement" means "covering", specifically the covering of sin, thus removing sin as a barrier to fellowship.

Biblically, "atonement" is a substitution of the sufferings of an innocent "victim" for the suffering of the guilty. The cross of Jesus Christ is the perfect atonement, all that is necessary to overcome these problems. As Hebrews states, "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." (Heb. 9:12)

Why an "Atonement"?

Why is it that "without shedding of blood there is no remission." ?

Is God "bloodthirsty"? Could no other method prevail? Many think the concept of an Atonement presents just this image of God! In their objections, most offer three principle conditions as suitable bases for forgiveness of sin apart from the Cross:

1. The mercy of God - many look to the great love of God expressed in scripture and claim that a God of such great love will forgive everyone simply as a matter of course.
2. Repentance and reformation - some believe that being sorry for sin and determining to reform will recommend them to God for forgiveness.
3. Good works - still others rely on the belief that their good works will offset their sin and so commend them to God for forgiveness.

Yet scripture steadfastly affirms that "without shedding of blood there is no remission."

Apart from Christ's atoning work we have no basis for hope for forgiveness - NONE of these other things will provide the foundation for God forgiving our sin! Let's take a closer look at these other reasons and see what people are really saying!

Many (most?) people want to simply rely on the mercy of God for their forgiveness. In our increasingly secular society which rejects the concept of biblical revelation, the attitude appears to be "Oh, God is TO LOVING to send me to hell." The moral man, the skeptic, the universalist, even the desolute sinner hold onto this hope.

However, rather than mercy and love, their hope seems to be in the justice of God. When pressed as to why, in His mercy, God should forgive them, these people declare it would be "wrong" for God to send them, or ANYONE, to hell. The sinner says, "'God made me the way I am, how can He condemn me for what I do?!" or "I'm only human, how could God expect anything more of me?"

What they fail to understand in their sentimentality, is that while God is long-suffering, no government can offer pardon on the basis of mercy alone, crime (SIN) would run rampant! Furthermore, scripture reveals to us that God's love is not mere sentimentality, but is founded in His holiness, His justice, and His righteousness. The prophet Zephaniah declares "The Lord [is] righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness."

Repentance and reformation likewise fail to provide the necessary basis for forgiveness of sins.

First of all, repentance is not what the law demands, obedience is! No Law ever written allows its violation on condition the offender repent! Just think how would it be if the laws of the land offered pardon to all who would simply promise not to commit that crime again?

Repentance can never remove the effects of sin! Behavior may change in those who truly repent, but the effects of past actions cannot be nullified by their repentance. For the gambler, the murderer, the adulterer, repentance cannot restore property, life or trust! Repentance does not repair the past, it can only offer hope for the future.

Repentance does not give one a clear conscience! The child who does something wrong and immediately expresses his sorrow to his parents and avoids punishment - his conscious will still bother him. In his heart he feels there ought to be more, that something should make up for his crime! Now, its true that in our society many have developed an alarming lack of conscience. Yet, somewhere deep within, that God given "bottom grinding stone," as Finney put it, is still there and will have to be dealt with in some way. Repentance alone is not enough.

Future good works do not merit forgiveness of past sin either!

Nothing a person does in the future can offset any sin already committed! This stems out of the notion that one can be better, live holier, then one's moral obligation demands. The problem is you can never be better than you are required to be! Virtue is based on the fulfilling of one's moral obligation. Moral obligation is based on the revelation, or light of truth, one has - i.e. the more one knows to do good the more good one is required to do. If a person actually lived above the light he had, it would have no virtue for it is not based on design, but rather on accident. We attach no moral value to winning the lottery; no one says "what a fine, upstanding person that is" because they hit the "pick five." Why, because its simply a matter of chance (not to mention the negative moral ramifications of gambling!) not of design.

We also have the problem of  Jesus' declaration: "Therefore you shall be perfect , just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48) Thus no one who hears Jesus' words can be better then they ought, for they ought to be like God! It is therefore absurd to think a person can be good enough to build up a surplus of merit!

Finally, future obedience of the moral law cannot be a basis for forgiveness because it cannot effect past violations!

How many times have you gotten into an argument and said hurtful things you immediately wished you could take back? But how can you take back the hurt caused by a harsh word, a cruel action? How can the victims of sin be restored to the state they were in prior to being sinned against. Can you give back a rape victim's trust and innocence? And what about God? The bible reveals that God is profoundly effected by our sin, that He grieves over it and is caused pain by it! Can our future obedience take away the immeasurable hurt and grief that we have cause the great Godhead! No!

Conclusion

As we have seen, none of these man made designs provide sufficient basis for overcoming the problems confronting God in forgiving sin. Only the shedding of blood, only the atonement of Christ; one wholly innocent and righteous, dying a cruel death in our place, makes forgiveness possible!

Paul writes in Romans 5:8-9, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." The atonement of Jesus Christ, this is God's solution and the answer to our problem!